Overshoe-fastener



.(No Modl.)

W. O. ARNOLD. OVERSHOE PASTENER.

Patented May 1.4, 1895.5

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UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

WVAKEFIELD O. ARNOLD, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND SOHUYLERHAIL, OF SOMERSET, KENTUCKY.

FASTENER.

.aPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,329, dated May 14, 1895.

Application filed October 2, 1894.

3 proved Overshoe-Fastener, of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved device for removably securing overshoes on the feet of the wearer, and has for its object to pro- [O vide a novel, simple and practical device for the indicated purpose, which will automati cally lock the overshoe at the heel upon the shoe proper, andbe adapted for convenient and quick adjustment to release the overshoe for its removal, when this is desired.

To these ends my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying 2o drawings, forminga part of this specification,

in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. 1

Figure l is a sectional side elevation show ing the fastener applied to hold an overshoe upon a laced shoe. Fig. 2 is an enlarged de cached front view of the fastener, looking in the direction of the arrow 1 in Fig. 3. Fig. 3

is'a sectional sideview of the improvement on the line 33 in Fig. 4:. Fig. 4isarear view of the device, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa perspective view of a detail of construction of the improvement; and Fig. 6 is a side view of a bracket- 3 plate forming part of the device, showing its marginal form before the bracket-plate is bent into shape for connection with other parts of the fastener. Y

The improvementin brief, comprises a thin 40 plate-like bracket piece that is attachable to the inner side of an overshoe at the heel, and is bent to loosely embrace and interlock at different-points with a spring locking dog, that in service engages the heel crease of a leather shoe, it being pressed toward the latter by another spring which is secured on the bracket plate. The dog is so arranged that it will slide up on the heel of the shoe proper, when said shoe is inserted in the overshoe having the improvement, and have alocking engagement with the leather heel at its Serial 110,524,742- (No model.)

top edge, thus retaining the overshoein place until the locking device is manipulated for a release of said shoe, as will be-hereinafter explained.

In the drawings, A indicates an ordinary shoe, and B the overshoe portion that is in place on the leather shoe, these parts being sufficiently shown to illustrate the application of the improvement. The bracket plate 10 is preferably made from sheet metal as are also the other parts of the device, andas represented in Fig 6 has a T shape before it is bent, there being looking tangs 10 formed on the edges of its lower portion for an attachment of the plate to the material of an overshoe, as will be further described.- The plate 10 has the wings 10 a that form the head of the T, folded toward each other, as shown in Fig. 2, a sufficient space intervening between these parts and the main portion of the bracket plate, to permit the insertion between the wings and plate of the locking dog 11. The dog 11 is clearly represented in Fig. 5, and consists of an elon- 7 gated strip of sheet metal that is resilient, said piece being rectangular in form whilein a flat condition. To adapt it for service, the sheet metal blank that forms the locking dog, is folded at its longitudinal center at 11", so So as to produce two limbs of 'an equal length, which are spread apart a proper degree toward their free ends. One limb of the locking dog 11 that is in contact with the bracket plate 10, when the parts of the fastener are assembled to produce a complete device, has aseries oftransverse slots 11 formed in it, or these perforations may have a different shape, and are properly spaced apart, as is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 7

There is a tongue 10 formed on the top edge of the bracket plate 10 at the transverse cenfor, said tongue projecting forwardly at a right angle to the part it is an integral portion of, and of such dimensions as will per- 5 mit it to freely enter any one of the slots 11.

It will be seen that when the locking dog 11 is introduced from the upper end of the bracket plate 10 and slid downwardly, the spring action of .the limbs of the dog that are [00 pressed toward each other when thus inserted, will cause the rear limb of the dog to have an enforced contact with the upper edge of the bracket plate 10 and interlock one of its slots with the tongue 10, the latter being readily released when the limbs of the dog are pressed together at their upper ends.

The lower end or toe 11" of the locking dog is curved fiatwise a proper degree, to project it away from the bracket plate 10, and when slid downwardly has its rear surface brought into forcible contact with the arched plate spring 12, and the latter having its lower end secured to the bracket plate near its lower end, serves to press the toe of the Cog forwardly.

The complete device is embedded in the material of an overshoe at the transverse center of its heel, preferably between the lining and waterproof material of said shoe; the tangs 10 being properly bent to secure the bracket plate in place. The toe 11* extends forwardly through a transverse slit in the shoe lining when the dog 11 is pushed downwardly, while the free upper ends of the limbs of the dog project a short distance above the edge of the overshoe, to permit a free man'ipula-u tion of the dog, which latter will be locked by the tongue 10 in either elevated or depressed adjustment.

To put on overshoes having the improved fastener, the wearer slips his feet that are clad with leather shoes, into the overshoes, and by applying downward pressure at the heels of the shoes, causes the toe 11 to slide up the heel of the leather shoe if said tee is protruded, and interlock with the crease 13, that is produced where the heel joins the upper of a leather shoe, which will prevent the overshoe from slipping ofi of the shoe proper,

it being firmly held by the engagement of the toe of the locking dog as explained.

To release the overshoe it is only necessary, that the upper ends of the limbs of the dog 11 be pressed together, which will withdraw the rear limb of the dog from the tongue 10 and allow the wearer of the overshoe to first draw the dog upwardly and away from the heel of the leather shoe, and then remove the overshoe with ease.

By the use of the improved overshoe fas-. tener, the close fitting of the overshoe on another shoe is rendered unnecessary, as the dog 11 presses the, heel of the overshoe rear wardly, which will cause the forward portion of said shoe to be drawn sufficiently close to the leather shoe, for its protection and the prevention of water or snow from entering between the edges of the overshoe and the foot of the wearer, but not so closely that the contraction of the rubber will hurt the foot.

The simplicity of the improvement, its low cost, and reliability as afastener are claimed as features of advantage afiorded by its use. The overshoes need not be made so high hehind to keep them from coming off, and their weight will therefore be reduced.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of a plate adapted to be secured at the heel of an overshoe, and an adjustable dog connected to said plate and means for locking said dog in position when adjusted, the-lower portion of said dog being adapted to engage the heel crease of a shoe, substantially as set forth.

2. An overshoe fastener, comprising a bracket plate attachable in the heel of an overshoe, a resilient locking dog adjustable on and securable to the bracket plate, and a reinforcing spring attached to the bracket plate and pressing on the dog, substantially as described.

3. An overshoe fastener, comprising a bracket plate having bent portions adapted to loosely embrace a locking dog, and having a forwardly bent tongue on the upper end,

and a resilient dog in substantially V shape, having its rear limb. serially perforated to receive the tongue of the bracket-plate,.sub-

stantially as described.

4. In an overshoe fastener, the combination with a bracket plate adapted to loosely embrace a locking dog having two bent wings,

the bracket plate having a forwardly bent tongue on its upper edge, of a spring locking dog the rear limb of which is serially perforated to receive the tongue of the bracket plate, and a reinforcing spring secured to the bracket plate and pressing on the lower por tion of the dog, substantially as described. WAKEFIELD C. ARNOLD. WVitnesses:

L. H. COURTNEY, MATTIE M. ARNOLD. 

